


Heroes of the Selfless Kind

by bolognatome (rainglazed)



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Gen, Patchquilt Family, little!Lucina, sad future children, time travel angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-15
Updated: 2014-04-15
Packaged: 2018-01-19 10:57:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1466929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainglazed/pseuds/bolognatome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Time continues to diverge, and Lucina watches her younger self grow in the shadow of legends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heroes of the Selfless Kind

Inspiration taken from [this ](http://askyounglucina.tumblr.com/post/58620856613/headcannon-young-lucinas-biggest-idol-is-none-other)comic on the askyounglucina tumblr blog

 

The castle corridors rang with the sound of childish laughter as the princess ran heedlessly over flagstones and through courtyards, waving a wooden sword. 

"Hope will never die!" 

She leaped over a stone bench only to trip, toy flying as she flew head over heels into the soft grass of the outer gardens.  Sumia hurried over in alarm, barely staying upright herself. 

"Luci!  Love, are you alright?" she said, gently picking her daughter off the ground.  The child bounced impatiently as her mother brushed dirt off of her clothes. 

"I'm fine Mama!  A hero never gives up!" she said giddily.  Picking up her sword, she brandished it with renewed vigor.  "Anything can change!" she proclaimed.  Sumia barely suppressed a smile as the princess, barely waist high, swept her weapon in an arc and pretended to attack a tree root. 

"What a fine hero you will make," she said proudly.  "Won't she, Lucina?" 

"You didn't need to give me away," the young woman sighed, dropping down from the tree.  Immediately her younger counterpart shouted for joy and rushed upon her, sword forgotten. 

"Lucina!  Lucina!  You're back," she cried, arms reaching up.  Tentatively, the young woman lifted her.  "It's been forever since you've been home!" the child said in excitement.  Lucina winced. 

"Sorry, little one.  I've, uh, been busy."  She gave a frantic look to her mother.  Sumia only smiled. 

"Love, why don't you leave Lucina alone so she can rest?  Mama needs to talk to her for a bit."  The child's face immediately fell in disappointment. 

"But she just got back!  What if she leaves again?"  Although she tried to hide it, the young girl's lip quivered.  "I barely got to see you last time." 

The two women glanced at each other.  Lucina crouched down and looked her younger self in the eye.  "I'm sorry for leaving so abruptly," she said.  "I'll make sure to find you before departing, okay?" 

The child sniffed.  "Naga's word?"

"Naga's word," Lucina said solemnly.  Tentatively she reached out and ruffled the girl's hair.  "Now go find Cynthia.  I heard she brought back some gifts she wanted to give you." 

Immediately the princess perked up.  "Cynthia's back too?"

"Uh huh.  And she really missed you ," Lucina said wryly.  "It was always 'little Luci this' and 'little Luci that'." 

The child whooped.  "I'm gonna go find her now," she said eagerly, darting away.  Lucina and Sumia watched as the small figure disappeared back into the castle, oversized cape fluttering behind her. 

"She's very different from when I was her age," Lucina said absently.  Sumia giggled. 

"Oh, I don't know about that," she said fondly.  Tentatively, she pulled the other woman into a hug.  "Don't think I never caught you play fighting with Owain while we were travelling together." 

Lucina flushed.  "I was never so carefree," she corrected.  "During the war nobody had time to maintain the gardens.  And I only saw you passingly." 

Sumia's grip tightened.  "Does it become easier to talk about, with time?" she asked softly.  Lucina hesitated before relaxing in her arms. 

"I guess."  She cleared her throat nervously.  "Sometimes-- sometimes I remember things that happened on certain days, and I find myself waiting." 

"Do they happen in this timeline?" 

Sumia could feel Lucina shrug.  "Sometimes.  Sometimes not." 

She waited, but Lucina was not forthcoming.  Gently, Sumia asked, "What happened today?" 

There was a pause.  "How did you know?" Lucina mumbled into her shoulder. 

"I'm your mother.  Of course I know."  Sumia reached up and combed her fingers through the hair of the woman leaning against her -- a hero, an exile, an exalt in her own right, her beloved daughter.  Lucina muttered something incomprehensible into the fabric of her dress. 

"Hmmm?" 

"Today is the day I found you... crying in the garden," Lucina mumbled.  She refused to meet Sumia's gaze.  Gently yet firmly, Sumia lifted her chin until her daughter's eyes were looking at her, the mark of Naga showing clearly. 

"And why was I crying in the garden?" 

"It's nothing," Lucina said uncomfortably. 

Sumia sighed.  "As if.  Just tell me," she said coaxingly. 

There was a pause.  "It… it was the day Cordelia died," Lucina said in a whisper. 

The garden suddenly seemed silent, as if the birds themselves had muted their singing.  Lucina took a steady breath before continuing.  "It was a sunny day just like this, and, and I came out to find you crying in the garden because they'd brought her body home.  F-father was still out fighting, so there was no one to comfort you." 

Sumia felt her heart break.  "Oh Lucina." 

"I know she's fine," Lucina said resolutely.  "I visited her before coming here.  She's enjoying time with her family by the seaside.  I just..."  She stopped, at a loss for what to say, but Sumia understood nonetheless. 

"Thank you."  Taking her head in her hands, Sumia planted a gentle kiss to the top of her head.  "Thank you for being here for me." 

"I couldn't before," Lucina said quietly, sadness heavy in her voice.  Sumia smiled. 

"I would hate to speak for the woman who raised you, Lucina," she said, her voice sure.  "But I am sure the simple the knowledge of your presence in the world was the greatest comfort she could ask for." 

For a moment she thought that tears would get the better of them both, but the feeling passed -- her daughter composed herself, although her eyes were still a little watery.  "Thank you," she said instead, a small, but genuine smile on her face.  She cleared her throat.  "I suppose I should find Cynthia before she spoils my counterpart rotten." 

Sumia chuckled.  "She does seem to enjoy her time with little Luci." 

"Well, she always wanted another sibling," Lucina admitted with a small smile.  "I think Luci is like a dream come true." 

"Well, she's about to get another one," Sumia said serenely.  It took a moment for Lucina to understand.  Her eyes widened comically. 

"You're- you're, uh," Lucina stammered, floundering.

"Two months now," Sumia admitted.  She grinned at Lucina's shell shocked expression.  "Although I'm still debating on the name.  Lucina was born before we knew who you were, but now that we've met Cynthia..."

Lucina's mouth opened, then closed.  Then opened again.  "Can I, uh."  She gestured towards Sumia's belly.  "Can I..." 

Sumia caught Lucina's wrist and brought her hand to her belly.  Calloused fingers fanned out over the fabric of her dress.  "There's no real movement yet, although sometimes I'd like to think I feel her rolling around," Sumia said.  "But if you pay attention you can feel the bump." 

Reverently Lucina traced the barely noticeable swelling.  "Cynthia was born much later in my time," she said absently.  Sumia chuckled. 

"Well, that's understandable.  But we're not at war now, and your father and I are home a lot more--" 

"Oh gods, please stop," Lucina said desperately.  She coughed at Sumia's amused look.  "Ah, uh, so what other names were you considering?" 

"That's the thing.  Cynthia is such a darling name, and I'm reluctant to give it up."  Sumia looked thoughtful.  "Do you think the baby would mind, being named after her counterpart?" 

"Well, Luci doesn't seem to have trouble with it," Lucina said wryly.  She paused.  "Uh, does she know who I am?" 

"I'm not actually sure," Sumia admitted sheepishly.  "She knows you're a hero of Ylisse--"  Lucina scoffed, "--and that people traveled back in time to defeat Grima, but gods know how much of the pieces she's put together." 

"Children are sharper than people give them credit for," Lucina pointed out. 

"Don't I know it," Sumia said fervently.  "Just the other day she was asking me about a woman's virtue, and if the chambermaids were so concerned with it why we didn't just give them all swords so they can duel--" 

"Mama!" 

The young princess was scampering down the path again, one flushed and giggling pegasus knight behind her.  "Mama, you won't believe the cool stuff Cynthia brought back for us!  There's dracoshields and speed tonic and a seraph's robe-- Cynthia, are you alright?" 

A hand waved from a spot on the ground.  "I'm fine.  Just, uh, tripped over my own feet again," she said cheerily.  Lucy nodded sagely. 

"Mama does that all the time.  I bet it runs in the family." 

Sumia and Lucina shared a look. 

" _Much_ sharper than people give them credit for," Lucina repeated. 


End file.
